Intermediate Blacksmithing – May 10 & 17, 2025
$225.00
The beginning blacksmith class was fun and interesting, however you would like to know more. We’re ready to teach you advanced techniques, and you will walk away with a greater understanding of what an apprentice was expected to do in the quest to move towards becoming a journeyman blacksmith.
We’ll start by reviewing safety techniques and hammer control. The first thing you’ll do on your own, but under the watchful eye of our instructors is build and maintain your coal fire. You will want to bring the fire tending tools that you made in the beginning class.
Prerequisite: Beginning blacksmith course
Students must be 16 at the time of the class to take any blacksmith class. Proof of age may be required. Parent/guardian of students under 18 must be on-site during class time. Parent/guardian must sign up separately if they want to participate in the class.
Class location: Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, Kansas
5 in stock
Description
You’ll start with a gate hook with two staples. You’ll be given one piece of metal and you will have to divide it up to build all parts of this gate hook and staples. You’ll have a basic weld called a faggot weld on the tip of the gate hook loop.
Your next project will be a colonial meat fork where you will learn several new techniques.
We will have you make a flux spoon that will come in handy when you begin to weld your links together. If you get everything else done on day one you can make a plant holder. A simple project however you have to use the right amounts of metal in the right areas to get it to come out well.
You should read in your book that you got in the beginning class about forge welding. And making tongs. We’ll start with the tongs. Most of our students choose to make a pair of scrolling tongs as opposed to flat tongs or bolt tongs. After the tongs are made and you’re satisfied with them you’ll move on to shaping and welding chain links. We usually try to have you make 4 links because we are going to take a bar and use it to twist one of your links into a figure 8 to see if it will break. After you complete this project you will have several projects to choose from to use your remaining time.
If we have time we’ll show you the drop tong technique of forge welding two pieces of metal bar. This can be an exciting, rewarding and totally frustrating experience. The weather outside will have a lot to do with how easy your welds go together. As a reference you will be given a list of things that you would need to be proficient in to become a journeyman Smith. This class is not designed to make you a journeyman smith but to advance your abilities beyond what you learned in the beginner class. It is an introduction on making tools that you will need if you pursue blacksmithing as a hobby.
